Adaptive Firmware Card Information
GS WorldView Fall 2002
Support software: AddaptiveFirmwareCardDisk_sdk.zip
at http://www.apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/Misc/
(originally from Bart, Keeper of the Network from Heck)
Info Snips from the Net
ref: http://www.mncdd.org/learning/TEXT/GT064.txt
Adaptive Firmware Card- The adaptive firmware card will convert any standard
software program so that it can be controlled by a single switch or the
unicorn board (a touch sensitive tablet), thus giving people with physical
handicaps access to many computer programs. The adaptive firmware card
includes a slowdown mode so that games can be played by people with delayed
responses. It is inserted inside the computer. The card is available for the
Apple IIe, IIGS, and II+ computers.
The adaptive firmware card must be "PROGRAMMED" to work with a switch or
Unicorn board (a touch sensitive tablet). It can be programmed to give a
"SCANNING" array to any program, and will allow any program to be controlled
by a single switch. The alphabet or specific command symbols appear at the
bottom of the screen. When the command that the child wants lights up, he/she
must activate a switch to give that command to the computer. The child must
be able to see the letters on the screen (which are quite small) and
understand the connection between the switch, the letters, and the program.
Available from Adaptive Peripherals, 4529 Bagley Avenue N., Seattle, WA
98103, (206) 633-2610.
Unicorn Board The Unicorn board works in conjunction with the firmware card.
It is a touch sensitive tablet that takes the place of the keyboard. The
amount of contact time needed to activate the board can be altered so that
various children can use it. Keyboard letters can be substituted with pictures
on this board. It can be used with any piece of software. It must be
"programmed" to work with specific programs. Unicorn Engineering Company,
6201 Harwood Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618 (415) 428-1626.
_______________
Using the Adaptive Firmware Card with BEX*
by Bruce McClanahan
ref: http://personalpages.tds.net/~ti51/new86.htm
[Editor's note: We ran an article about the Adaptive Firmware Card in our
November-December 1988 issue. Because of changes in the technology, we thought
it appropriate to take another look at the Adaptive Firmware Card.]
I teach at the Washington State School for the Blind, where we have adopted
BEX as our standard word processor for the school. As at other residential
schools around the country, we have a number of multiply handicapped students.
Many of these students, whether because of difficulty controlling their hands
or because of cognitive disabilities, cannot use the standard computer
keyboard. Starting this year, we have been using the Adaptive Firmware Card as
a tool to allow more students to use the computer.
[*Note: BEX (BEX 3.1 from Raised Dot Computing) is a word processor for Apple
II computers (enhanced 128k //e, //c, IIc+, IIgs) that can create large print,
Braille, or synthesized speech output. Large print can appear on the screen
or compatible dot-matrix printers. BEX can translate standard print files to
grade 2 Braille, or back-translate grade 2 Braille files to print. (Also see
TranscriBEX**.)
ref: http://www2.edc.org/NCIP/library/vi/input.htm
ref: http://www.duxburysystems.com/ (now featuring more modern products--
e.g. MegaDots-- for PC)]
Introducing the Adaptive Firmware Card
The Adaptive Firmware Card (AFC) is a circuit card for the Apple IIe or the
Apple IIgs that allows someone with limited mobility or control to use the
keyboard. The card has 9 separate systems for redesigning or replacing the
standard keyboard. Using some of these systems requires additional specialized
equipment.
Of the 9 separate keyboard systems provided by the Adaptive Firmware Card,
two are most useful for use with blind students and Echo speech. These are
Morse Code and the Unicorn Keyboard. Morse Code can be done either with one
switch or with two switches. With two switches, one switch is used for dots,
and the other for dashes.
The Unicorn Keyboard is a large keyboard with 164 squares. Each square can be
assigned by the Adaptive Firmware Card to any Apple key or key combination you
want. It is my own experience that kids with normal intelligence work best
with Morse Code. They can achieve satisfactory typing rates. Two kids at our
school can use Morse Code. They are both able to use the regular keyboard, but
not accurately. In a three-hour session, the kids learned how to use the
Adaptive Firmware Card with Morse Code. For those with mental impairments, the
Unicorn Keyboard is better. It is slower, but the kids can hunt for the
braille labels. Once our students are up and running, they use BEX unattended.
Students with physical, mental, and visual impairments are using the Unicorn
keyboard and are productive. We have also used the Unicorn Keyboard to
introduce computers to our early elementary students before teaching them the
standard keyboard. Even when they need considerable assistance, the younger
kids can get an appreciation for using the computer which they might not get
otherwise.
Installing the Adaptive Firmware Card
The Adaptive Firmware Card must be placed in slot 5. It does not work in any
slot other than 5. On an Apple IIgs, slot 5 is usually reserved for the smart
port (3.5-inch disk drive controller). However, You can put the Adaptive
Firmware Card in slot 5 and still set the control panel's designation for slot
5 to smart port. This lets you use both the 3.5-inch disk drive and the
Adaptive Firmware Card at the same time, both ostensibly through slot 5.
Configuring BEX
You do not have to do anything special when configuring BEX to tell it about
the Adaptive Firmware Card. When configuring, answer No to the question, Do
you have a remote keyboard? Answer Yes to the question, Do you want Echo
speech?
Configuring the Adaptive Firmware Card
Configuring the Adaptive Firmware Card is considerably more difficult than
configuring BEX. While the manual for the card is thorough, I am glad that I
took a course on the device at the State Resource Center for Adaptive
Technology. The staff had a number of technical problems in getting things
going.
The Adaptive Firmware Card has a setup program for configuring the card. You
have to tell the card what input method you are using (Morse Code, Unicorn
Keyboard, or one of the 7 other techniques). You also have to tell the card
that you want speech.
For whatever keyboard technique you choose, you can designate the resulting
keystrokes and what is spoken for each unique entry. For example, the Unicorn
Keyboard has 164 different squares. One square is designated for a capital W.
I tell the setup program that when this Unicorn key is pressed, the resulting
keystroke is to be a capital W, and that the system should not say anything. I
do not want the Adaptive Firmware Card to make the Echo say anything for the W
key because BEX will say the appropriate thing when a W is pressed.
After I program the Unicorn keyboard to cover all the keystrokes found on the
Apple keyboard, I can get fancy. I can designate a key on the Unicorn to
result in the keystrokes space, dollar sign, p, space, and tell the system to
say paragraph when that key is pressed. This makes it easier for a kid to
understand what is happening in the BEX Editor.
As with BEX configurations, you can set up a series of named setup files in
the memory of the Adaptive Firmware Card. You can even have a default setup.
Once you have created a default set up for the Adaptive Firmware Card, the
Apple gets its input from the system you have designated as soon as you turn
on the Apple and press the carriage return key.
While you are using the Adaptive Firmware Card, you may want to issue a
direct command to it to change its operation. These direct commands start with
control-A. When you simply type the desired command on the Apple keyboard, it
usually does not cause any problems, except in BEX's Editor. In BEX's Editor,
control-A is the command to advance the cursor. To issue an AFC command from
BEX's Editor without moving BEX's cursor, type { O} followed by the
control-A command, and then press the carriage return key. Control-S O tells
BEX that the text which follows (up to the next carriage return) is for output
to another device only (and not an Editor command).
At this point, setting up the Adaptive Firmware Card is not accessible to
blind staff. You do not get Echo speech for all configuring the steps. Using
the Echo with Textalker-gs might make this process more accessible, but we
have had not had a chance to try this yet.
Obtaining The Equipment
The Adaptive Firmware card is available from Don Johnson Developmental
Equipment, Inc., P.O. Box 639, Wauconda, IL 60084; (708) 526-2682. The current
model number is G32e. This model works on an enhanced Apple IIe and on the
Apple IIgs. It costs $520. An enhanced Apple IIe has a newer ROM than the
original Apple IIe models had. If your Apple IIe is not enhanced, then you
cannot use the G32e. On an unenhanced Apple IIe, You can use the C40 model of
the Adaptive Firmware Card, which costs $400. The G32e has more memory than
the C40 (32k instead of 12k), operates faster, and can emulate mouse or
joystick operations (which the C40 cannot do at all).
The Unicorn Expanded Keyboard is also distributed by Don Johnson
Developmental Equipment. It costs $350.
For Morse Code, you connect a switch to the Adaptive Firmware Card. You can
use any switch that has a one-eighth inch mini jack. Don Johnson Developmental
Equipment sells a plate switch as well as an LT (Light Touch) switch, both for
$46. I use a Left/Right rocker switch that costs $70. It is set up so that
pushing one side makes dots, and pushing the other side makes dashes. This
means that the user does not have to hold down the switch for a specified
period of time to make a dot or a dash.
Don Johnson Developmental Equipment has an introductory video that can be
borrowed; call for details. In addition, a larger series of training videos is
under production.
[**Note: TranscriBEX for the Apple II is an add-on feature for enhancing word
processing, braille translation and braille formatting capabilities of the BEX
product. Features include: automatice braille page numbering; running heads;
literary format prose; poems and plays formatting; foreign languages are
represented in Grade 1 braille; tables and other columns. Creates large-print
output on the screen. Translates print files to Grade 1 or Grade 2 braille and
supports braille output to every braille embosser on the market currently. Can
back translate Grade 2 braille files to print.
ref: http://www2.edc.org/NCIP/library/vi/output.htm
ref: http://www.duxburysystems.com/ (now featuring more modern products--
e.g. MegaDots-- for PC)]
_______________
Video Tapes about using the Adaptive Firmware Card
Below is a sample listing of places offering instructional video
tapes on setting up and using the Adaptive Firmware Card
Very likely, most school districts will be connected to a Regional
Resource Center which will lend out one or more tapes about using
the card.
http://www.ttac.odu.edu/Library/av.asp?SectionID=AV&SubID=24
AVO170-D "Adaptive firmware for the Apple II GS"
http://www.wati.org/ResourceMaterialsVideoTapes.htm
60343 "Adaptive Firmware Card for Apple IIGS"
http://www.thecenterweb.org/starnet/starnet2/resources/videoweb_1Page2.html
AT-1.2V "Special Friends and Computers: Switch Use and the Adaptive Firmware
Card" (15 min.)
http://www.ndipat.org/products/videolib/videolib.htm
"Adaptive Firmware Card For IIGS" (57 min.)
R/